Rapha Trail Hip Pack review – does Rapha’s styling and performance transfer well from Tarmac to the trails?

When Rapha debuted its mountain bike range of clothing a few years back, I, like many others viewed the super-stylish road brand with a little skepticism. Fast forward to 2024 and Rapha clothing remains amongst my most worn gear. Its simple aesthetic, using top-quality materials with a great cut, is first class.  

This hip pack offers up 3L of internal storage, room for two water bottles and an external drawcord for stashing an extra layer. Perfect for trail center laps and those longer days in the saddle.

Design and specifications

The three-liter capacity is perfect for carrying all I need from fast blasts to bigger days out. Internally, the main compartment uses a series of sewn elasticated loops to the back panel rather than pockets. This meant I could stash my Peaty’s Holeshot Inflator, phone, mini-pump and tire plug kit all vertically along the back, leaving room to chuck in a spare tube, snacks and a multitool. The front pocket housed my keys via a key safety loop – a nice touch – and it has a kind of storm flap to stop water getting in the zip. 

Externally, two elasticated mesh pouches can hold 500ml bottles or smaller kit like a light windbreaker or more snacks. I really love the external drawcord for carrying extra layers, freeing up precious space in the main compartment.

Made from tough 100 percent recycled ripstop fabric, the main zip is fully waterproof – a godsend in the UK. The waist strap is robust and at 40mm is neither too thin to cut in or too thick to feel uncomfortable. The back panel has three widely-spaced plush perforated foam pads to keep the pack in place with maximum comfort.

Performance

I want a pack that’s going to carry everything I need and stay in place when the trail gets rowdy. It helps if it looks good too. After many miles I can say that the Rapha Trail Hip Pack totally nails the brief. 

I’ve used this pack all year round. From long hot summer days out where the essentials are water, spares, and food to fast blasts around the local, it performs brilliantly. It sits snug to the body and really stays locked in place. The deep padding is so comfy, especially when worn next to just a jersey in hotter weather and doesn’t leave a big sweat patch because of the ample airflow. 

Carrying two 500ml bottles in the side pouches is a handy ability, especially once you start chugging it down in hotter weather. It's initially a noticeably heavy load, but it’s doable – just. The bottles stayed in place no problem, so no worries there and even with all that extra weight it stayed close to the body, where some packs can pull away from your back under load.

Through the winter months, the ripstop fabric did a great job of shrugging off mud and keeping the contents dry. It easily scrubbed up clean once dry too.

Verdict

For riders who want a versatile and great-looking hip pack for short to big days out, this model from Rapha ticks all the boxes. The addition of wing pockets for tiny items would have been a bonus, but that would destroy the super-clean aesthetic of this pack. It’s a great price, especially as it comes with the Rapha label and should see you all year through, but excels in warmer weather.

Tech specs: Rapha Trail Hip Pack

• Price: $90 / £70 / €81
• Materials: 100% Ripstop fabric
• Weight: 308g
• Colors: Caramel/Silver Gray, Black
• Rival products: Evoc Hip Pack Pro 3L, Race Face Stash 3L